


Sweetness

by Dreatine



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Rumbelle Showdown 2014, Season 3 Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 16:00:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8851213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreatine/pseuds/Dreatine
Summary: Rumbelle celebrate Rumple coming home from Neverland





	

**Author's Note:**

> Notes1: This was a first round story for the 2014 Rumbelle Prompt Showdown. Pen name: CaliCoolLatina   
>  Prompts:Book, The sorcerer’s apprentice, Getting drunk together
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing, ABC owns all
> 
> Thanks to betas Sharon and Edgar

"There is only one path I'm interested in." Rumple said, staring intently into her eyes.

"Which one is that?" Belle asked, a hopeful tone to her voice. Squeezing her hands, he replied. "The one where you and I are together."

Belle smiled beautifully, tears welling up in her eyes at his words. She watched as he cupped her throat gently, lowering his head to meet her lips. She leaned up, eyes closed, breath hitched as their mouths met in the softest kiss imaginable. When the need for air became important, they pulled back from each other, smiling like teenagers.

"Hey." he said, stroking her neck softly.

"Hey, yourself." she replied, pressing her forehead against his. Smiling like a cheshire cat, Rumple grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the back of the shop. Laughing, she asked. "What do you have up your sleeve, Rumple?"

"Who, me?" he asked innocently. Parting the curtain, he waved his hand and pulled her into the back. She gasped in surprise at the romantic sight. Vase full of flowers, multiple candles on his work table emitting a floral fragrance, some wine flutes and a green bottle with white flowers etched into it.

"It's beautiful, Rumple!" Belle exclaimed, walking to the table. Looking at the bottle, she asked. "What's this?"

Grinning, he took the bottle, magically uncorked it and poured the liquid into the wine flutes. "Champagne. It's this world's most romantic drink." he answered, handing her one of the glasses. "Or so I've heard."

She raised her eyebrows. "Heard from who?"

Chuckling, he said. "Wolf girl to be exact. Apparently, it's popular for special occasions." he nodded at her. "Go ahead. Try it."

Belle lifted the flute to her nose, inhaling the sweet smell. "Hmmm..smells wonderful." she looked at him. "Should we toast?"

He smiled. "What should we toast to?"

Biting her lip, she pondered for a moment. Then, her eyes lit up and she raised her flute to his. "Our Forever."

"I like that." he admitted, his voice trembling. Clinking her glass with his, "To our forever."

Smiling brightly, she clinked back, raised the flute to her lips. He watched intently, as she wrapped her lips around the rim, sipped and let the warm liquid slide down her throat. Her eyes went wide in surprise as she swallowed. "Ooh! It's bubbly!" she exclaimed, licking her lips. "Fruity, sweet but bubbly."

"You like it?"

She nodded enthusiastically, downing the rest. Holding out her glass, "May I have another?"

Laughing, he replied. "Of course. Anything for you, sweetheart." he poured some more. "Another toast?"

Belle nodded happily. Rumple thought for a moment, then said. "To our new life together!"

Her eyes softened, her gaze loving. She clinked his glass and gulped the champagne down. "This is sooo good."

Smiling adoringly at her, Rumple wrapped his arm around her, pulling her flush against him. "I love you, Belle." he kissed her deeply.

~~~~  
Hours later:

"So, what should we toast to now?" Rumple asked, his speech slurring.

A hiccup escaped Belle's mouth. "..'Scuse me. " she giggled." How about Pongo?"

"To Pongo!" he agreed, pouring more champagne. He lost count of how many toasts they made. To Bae, Henry, no Charming family interrruptions. They even toasted to worms in Regina's apples. That was his suggestion.

Belle downed the champagne and shakily offered him her empty glass. "To my sand dollar!"

"Your sand dollar?" he asked, slightly confused. He poured the last of the bottle, shaking out the few drops into her flute. 'Empty.' he thought, as he placed the bottle on the floor with first bottle he conjured.

Turning back to Belle, he watched her get up, walking unsteadily to the cabinet, opening it. He saw her reach in and grab something. Closing the door, Belle tottered back to the cot, holding up the sand dollar for his perusal. His eyes lit up in understanding. He remembered the sand dollar, the one that spoke of his love and faith in her.

"You kept it?"

Plopping down next to him, she answered. "Of course. It's a symbol of our love. Like our cup." she turned the sand dollar over and over in her hands, a small smile on her face.

"Belle?" he asked, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No. I was just remembering how happy it made me when Ariel gave me this. It meant you were alive." She took his hand, raised it to her lips, kissing it. "And then, listening to your message.." she paused, her voice quiet. "You needed me."

Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, he pulled her close. "I always need you." he kissed the top of her head.

"I know but this was different." she faced him, her leg pressing against his thigh. "You magically needed me. And I liked that."

He reached and pulled her across his lap. " You'd like to be my sorcerer's apprentice?"

She shook her head. "No, not apprentice. An assistant." She ran her hand through his silky hair . "Research assistant to be exact." She kissed his cheek. "You know how much I love books."

"Do I.." he teased, earning him a playful swat on the chest. "What? I'm agreeing with you." he embraced her. "You love books. And you have two libraries to prove it."

"That I do." she giggled, another hiccup escaping her. " 'Scuse me,again. " she placed her hand over her mouth. "Too many bubbles."

He smiled tenderly. "So, I take it that champagne agrees with you?"

Belle nodded. "I love the sweetness." she traced his lips with the tip of her finer. "Though it's not as sweet as you."

Rumple groaned at her words. He kissed her senseless, all thoughts of champagne, books and apprenticeships lost to the sweetness of their love.

End.


End file.
